A New Tradition in An Old World
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Can Spencer help Hotch and Jack find a new Christmas tradition in time for Christmas? Written for the television prompt challenge: The Twilight Zone - What's in the Box? TWO CHAPTERS!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: ATTENTION, READERS AND AUTHORS - we're rapidly drawing near the close of our first annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ****ONE**** DAY LEFT TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS AND STORIES. Please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming days and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your voice and vote be heard, and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Please send your votes to the PM listed in the rules (found on the forum) or your ballot can't be counted! Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude, and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**

**Want to win some free Christmas cash? We're giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to the 200th voter in the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Fanfic. net Awards (funded by the moderators). We have well over one hundred voters already, so who knows...you could be the 200th and win the awesome Amazon card!**

**Also...since we deeply appreciate everyone who has voted and will vote...we are also giving away another $5 gift card to a lucky voter that we will draw randomly. This could be voter number one..seventy-four...or three hundred! Both gift cards will be sent by email, so you don't have to share any personal information to claim your prize! We will notify the winners by PM when the awards are complete.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**A New Tradition in an Old World**

_**TV Prompt: The Twilight Zone: What's in the box?**_

**Chapter One**

"I hate you!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, buddy," Hotch said evenly as he stared into the familiar eyes now filled with fury in front of him. In spite of the sudden way his muscles cramped in his chest, he forced himself to keep his tone calm as he found the words necessary to reason with his son. "I love you very much. But, I think it's time for you to go to bed," he said calmly, nodding down the corridor that led to the little boy's room.

Wincing as he watched Aaron Hotchner's face pale at his young son's hasty words, Spencer Reid involuntarily jerked on the couch as Jack Hotchner stormed from the room, footsteps stomping loudly against the hardwood floor, his bedroom door slamming closed a second later. Barely resisting the urge to reach out to the other man as his shoulders sagged and he hung his head, Spencer murmured, "You know he doesn't really mean that, Aaron."

"I'm not so sure of that anymore," Hotch offered quietly, his deep voice defeated, his shoulders slumping lower with each word. How in the world had he allowed things to reach this point? How could he have missed the signs showing him that his little boy was fighting a battle that he was not prepared to win? And when had he lost the ability to give his son everything he wanted?

"He just misses her," Reid offered quietly, shrugging, unable to find any other words as he felt the tension surround him. "He doesn't know what to do with those feelings and he's striking out at the one person he has left."

"Intellectually, I know that," Hotch grimaced, scrubbing a hand over his weary face as he dropped to the sofa, his body as keyed up as his mind. "That knowledge doesn't make it any easier to cope with when your child screams that he hates you. It doesn't make it hurt any less."

Spencer knew he was contemplating walking into shaky territory. His relationship with the Unit Chief …Aaron…was still new, in its infancy, and he didn't want to risk disturbing the foundation they'd painstakingly built together. They still hadn't explained to Jack that they were a couple...it was only recently that they'd admitted it to themselves. Neither one of them was willing to give up this new feeling, this new joy…and they were both committed to making it work. And that meant that they sometimes they had to deal with difficulties in one another's lives.

For the first time in forever, he was genuinely happy, and he desperately wanted Aaron to feel the same. "I'm sorry," Reid whispered, unsure what he could possibly say to make the man beside him feel any better, knowing there was probably nothing that could accomplish that goal. Not today. Not now.

"He blames me for her not being here. Last year, Haley's death was too fresh for him to associate the holidays with her absence. But this year, he knows she's missing. He feels the void she left behind. And I can't fill it," Hotch said, his voice stark as he shook his head slowly, his chest tightening as he felt his son's pain once again. "The cookies didn't taste right," he muttered, gesturing to the platter of Santa shaped sugar cookies on the coffee table, their red and green sparkles shining in the faint lamp light. "I couldn't decorate the tree like she did," he said, nodding toward the towering fir tree in the corner, the ornaments haphazardly placed on the green limbs. "Evidently, my light hanging leaves something to be desired." Blowing out a deep breath, Hotch leaned his head back against the leather sofa, "It's not even December 1st and I've already ruined Christmas."

"You have not," Reid admonished, his hand reaching to squeeze Hotch's hand before he could stop himself. "Can I ask what triggered his anger just now?" Reid said, tossing his head slightly toward the direction of Jack's bedroom.

"I mentioned taking him to see Santa at the mall," Hotch replied with a sad sigh, shaking his head as he contemplated that faux pas. Clearing his throat, Hotch added in explanation, "That's his last Christmas memory he has of his mom."

Squeezing Hotch's warm fingers, Reid nodded, his own memories of his mother defined into certain categories. "His young mind is consumed with holiday traditions that he and Haley shared."

"Yeah," Hotch nodded hoarsely, staring into space, the shimmering lights from the tree flickering in his peripheral vision.

"Then maybe he needs to create some new traditions...while still keeping the ones Haley put in place, of course," Reid offered gently, clutching the box he'd brought along in one hand as his other gripped Hotch.

"Good luck convincing my son of that," Hotch said softly, his eyes traveling to Reid's earnest face, wondering how he'd been so fortunate to have this wise man in his life.

"Do you mind if I try?" Reid asked nervously, his eyes widening as he bit his lip. "To convince him, that is."

Smiling faintly at Reid's quiet offer, Hotch raised a dark eyebrow. "You are truly a brave man to take on my son in all his five year old fury."

"I've taken on his father before," Reid reminded him lightly, a lopsided grin filling his face. "That was much worse," he whispered conspiratorially, leaning forward slightly, knocking the box to the ground with his movement.

"What's in the box?" Hotch asked when his lover bent to retrieve it, settling it back on his corduroy covered knees.

"Hopefully," Reid said, lifting the decorative box in his hand, "a new tradition, if you'll let me talk to your little boy."

"Go for it," Hotch nodded gratefully, squeezing Spencer's hand. "I'll be out here if you need me."

"Okay," Reid replied quickly, pressing a fleeting kiss to Aaron's jaw before climbing to his feet and making his way down the hallway to Jack's room. And with each step that he took, Spencer mentally prepared his words, knowing that his new family's Christmas happiness was hanging in the balance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **

**THIS IS IT, FRIENDS - THE FINAL DAY TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL CRIMINAL MINDS PROFILER'S CHOICE AWARDS ON FANFICTION. NET. YOU HAVE UNTIL 11:59 pm EST ON NOVEMBER 30, 2010 TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! **

**LINKS TO THE FINAL BALLOT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH "CHIT CHAT ON AUTHOR'S CORNER" FORUM OR LINKS LOCATED ON EITHER MY PROFILE PAGE (ilovetvalot) OR MY CO-AUTHOR'S PAGE (tonnie2001969). **

**Please send your votes to the PM listed in the rules (found on the forum) or your ballot can't be counted! **

**Want to win some free Christmas cash? We're giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to the 200th voter in the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Fanfic. net Awards (funded by the moderators). We have well over one hundred voters already, so who knows...you could be the 200th and win the awesome Amazon card!**

**Also...since we deeply appreciate everyone who has voted and will vote...we are also giving away another $5 gift card to a lucky voter that we will draw randomly. This could be voter number one..seventy-four...or three hundred! Both gift cards will be sent by email, so you don't have to share any personal information to claim your prize! We will notify the winners by PM when the awards are complete.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**A New Tradition in an Old World**

**Chapter Two**

Tightening his grip on the wooden box in his hand, Reid paused outside Jack Hotchner's closed bedroom door. What was the protocol for entering his boyfriend's angry child's bedroom? Deciding quickly that it was never too early to respect a person's right to privacy, Reid knocked lightly on the door.

"Go 'way, Daddy! I'm not talking to you no more!" Jack stridently yelled at the closed door, tensing in his race car bed as he glared at the door in front of him.

Recoiling slightly at the irate thread still running through Aaron's son's voice, Reid briefly considered bolting. Never particularly adept at emotional situations, he doubted Jack would appreciate his version of logic at the moment. But, he owed it to Aaron to try. "Jack?" Reid called back softly. "It's not Daddy. It's me. Spencer."

"Uncle Spencer?" Jack called back hesitantly, his lip still pooched out.

"Yeah," Reid nodded, touching the brass knob of the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," came the terse reply and Reid couldn't help but smile. It was so reminiscent of his father.

Opening the door, Reid stepped inside the dim room, lit only by the baseball bedside light beside the bed. "Hey," he said in a hushed voice, pushing the door shut, but leaving it open a few inches. "I just wanted to check on you, Jack," he murmured, moving toward the bed. "You seemed pretty angry earlier."

"At Daddy," Jack snorted, crossing his pajama clad arms over his chest defensively. "He don't do nothin' right. The lights were all wrong and he put sprinkles 'stead of choc'late chips on Mommy's cookies and he don't make the hot chocolate with the milk like Mommy did. I want my mommy back!"

Nodding as he listened to Jack's words, filled with more pain than anger in his opinion, Reid exhaled slowly. "May I sit?" he asked, pointing down at the mattress beside Jack. Seeing the young boy's head bob once in answer, Reid lowered himself to perch on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry you lost your mom, Jack. But, you need to know that your dad is trying really, really hard."

Bowing his head, Jack swallowed as he gripped his small green blanket. "I just miss her so much, Uncle Reid."

"I know," Reid nodded. "I was about your age when my dad left," he confided, choosing his words very carefully as he fought his own memories. "It hurt a lot."

"You only had one parent like me?" Jack asked, lifting curious eyes to Reid.

"Mmm Hmm," Reid hummed. "My mom. She tried real hard, but she couldn't do all the things my dad did for me either. She was sick and didn't like to leave the house very much. So, after my father went away, I didn't do things like play ball or ride bike in the park anymore."

"That's the pits," Jack commiserated, sitting up straighter as he waited for his uncle to continue.

"It was," Reid agreed, shifting the box in his lap. "But, over time, my mom and I came up with our own activities to do together. Like my dad and I had only different. We came up with new traditions."

"I don't want to have any new traditions," Jack stated belligerently, shaking his head defiantly as he pooched out his lip again.

"Neither did I...at least, not at first. I had to give it a chance," Reid explained gently.

Lips twisting from side to side as he considered his Uncle Spencer's words of wisdom, Jack lifted his chin, indicating the package Reid held. "What's in the box, Uncle Reid?"

Smoothing his hand over the worn wood of the box, Reid smiled at Jack. "Honestly? I'm hoping it's a new holiday tradition that we can do together." Seeing the little boy's eyes widen slightly, Reid continued, quickly, "See, since my mom was sick when I was a kid, we didn't do very much for Christmas after my dad left. But, there was one thing we did together every single night of December."

"What?" Jack asked, his curiosity overriding his earlier anger as he leaned closer.

Seeing the little boy was intrigued, Reid scooted closer as he lifted the lid on the priceless treasure that had been passed down from his mother to him. "We'd read this book," he said, lifting the first edition copy of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" out from the depths."

"What is it?" Jack asked with interest, scooting forward in the bed to get a better look at the cover.

"It's called, "A Christmas Carol"," Reid smiled, watching Jack's eyebrows furrow as he tried to read the faded letters.

"You and your mom sang every night?" he asked, perplexed. "I thought you said that you read."

"We did," Reid grinned, understanding the young boy's confusion. "That's the name of the book. It's about a guy that forgets how important Christmas can be. His name is Ebenezer Scrooge. And it's about the little boy that teaches him about the true spirit of Christmas."

"What's his name?" Jack asked, looking up at Reid.

"Tiny Tim," Reid replied evenly.

"Tiny? Like me?" Jack asked innocently, his eyes widening.

"Not quite, but close," Reid winked. "Would you like to read it with me?" he asked, flipping over the cover with a practiced hand. "Maybe you could help me out with this new tradition of mine...since I can't be with my mom either this year."

"Every night?" Jack asked, his eyes lighting up as he sat up straighter.

"Sure. Or if I can't be here, I bet your dad would love to read with you," Reid said carefully, taking care not to commit to any promises he wouldn't be able to keep.

"Daddy is a good reader," Jack nodded avidly. "He does good voices."

"Really?" Spencer asked, his heart melting a little as he watched Hotch's son's face.

"Uh huh," Jack grinned. "Can we get Daddy and ask him if he'll read the story with us?" he asked excitedly, his earlier anger vanishing.

"I think Daddy would love to read that book with you, Jack," Hotch said softly, watching from the ajar door. "May I come in?"

"Yep," Jack said, lifting the book from Reid's lap and holding it on his lap. "Uncle Spencer found us a new tadition, Daddy!"

"Tradition," Hotch corrected, relieved to see his son's happy face again as he took his place on the other side of Jack's bed. "And, yes, I heard it," Hotch nodded, looking at Reid over Jack's bent head. "Thank you," he mouthed, grasping Spencer's hand behind Jack's back.

Smiling Reid nodded as he handed the book to Aaron. "I hear you do great voices," he grinned.

"The best," Jack clarified, settling back on his pillows. "Read, Daddy! Please!"

Nodding, Hotch opened the aged book and began to read, "Marley was dead: to begin with..."

And as Spencer Reid and Jack Hotchner avidly listened to the deep timbre of Aaron Hotchner's voice, a new Christmas tradition was born.

One for just the three of them. For their new family.

_**The End**_


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